Apparatus for smelting



09.291937. G HMCINTYRE ET AL 2,097,379

APPARATUS FOR SMELTING Filed May ll, 1937 Uli) ,Y l5

II 1I II 1 #gz V @www M2771@ ATTOR EYQS,

Patented Oct. 26, 1937 UNITEDy sTATEs PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS Fon sMEL'rTNG Application May 11, 1937, Serial No. 141,963

8 Claims.

This invention relates as indicated to a method of and apparatus for smelting and more particularly to the production of materials such as glass and more particularly porcelain enamel.

i5 It is'a principal object of our invention to provide a method of and aparatus for smelting characterized by the fact that the smelting operation is carried on continuously and by means economical in operation and insuring a superior finished l product.

Other objects of our invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then,`consists of the l means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims; the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail certain means and onevmode illustrating, however, but one of the various Ways in 0 which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:-

Fig. 1 is a horizontal section through an apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of our invention and Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, taken on a plane substantially indicated by the line 2 2.

Referring naw more specifically to the drawing and more especially to Fig. 1, the smelter generally indicated at i, is substantially rectangular in form, divided by an inner partition 2 separating the same into a melting chamber 3 and a nng chamber d.

The chamber 3 is hereinafter referred to as a g5 melting chamber since therein the raw materials are substantially all reduced to a molten state. The chamber d is referred to as a ning chamber for the reason that therein the previously melted raw material is maintained in an elevated temperature for a suficient length of time to refine the same, i. e., remove "seeds and the like therefrom which is necessary prior to the discharge of the material.

Connecting the chambers 3 and ii at one end l5 thereof is armelted material passage 5 extending through the lower portion of the wall 2. Connecting the chambers 3 and A at their ends opposite to the melted material passage 5 is a gas passage 6 extending through the wall 2 in the upper io portion thereof. Associated with one end of the melting chamber 3 is a conventional dog house 'I employed for the purpose of feeding the raw materials to the melting chamber at one end thereof. The construction and operation of the 55 feeding means commonly employed for .this purpose is believed to be sumciently well known to those familiar with the art so that a further description and illustration thereof is unnecessary.

At the charging end of the melting chamber 3 is an auxiliary combustion chamber 8, the bottom 5 or hearth 9 of which is preferably at an elevation above the bath level in the chamber 3. A burner i 0 for projecting a suitable hydrocarbon fuel such as gas or oil into the melting chamber projects into the back-end of the auxiliary combustion 10 chamber 8. The employment of the auxiliary combustion chamber 8 is particularly desirable when a liquid fuel is burned so as to insure complete volatilization of all of the liquid fuel before the ame projects over the bath, otherwise dripl5 pings of the liquid fuel might fall into the bath and contaminate the same. When the auxiliary combustion chamber is employed, the drippings from the burner I0 fall Qonto the heated hearth 9 where they are volatilized before being projected into the burning zone over the bath in the chamber 3. I I The hearth or bottom of the melting chamber 3 slopes substantially uniformly in the direction indicated by the line Il from the charging opening or dog house to the melted material passage 5. The hearth of the ning chamber 4 similarly slopes upwardly from the melted material passage 5 to the continuous discharge opening I2. The elevation of the discharge opening l2 is be- 30 tween the upper edge of the melted material passage 5 and the lower edge of the gas passage 6 so that the level of the4 bath maintained in the y smelter is at all times a substantial distance above the opening 5. The hearth ofthe fining chamber d slopes to a low point at I3 which is directly opposite a draining opening I4, the draining opening It will be normally closed, however. If, for any reason, it should be desired to drain the smelter of all glass, the feed of the raw material is'stopped and the draining opening ll opened and the smelter permitted to drain until empty.

Positioned in one corner of the ning chamber A is a stack or main flue I5 which communicates with the ning chamber through branched openings i6 and I'I. By dividing the ow of heated gases by means of the'branched passages I6 and Il, a stream of such heated gases is directed through the Arestricted area opposite the melted material ypassage 5. Another stream of heated gases drawn by the branched opening I6 is caused to sweep over the central area of the fining bath, maintaining the same at the desired temperature. An auxiliary burner I8 in the end of the lining 55 chamber adjacent the gas passage 6 and the continuous discharge opening I2 may be employed for the purpose of augmenting the heating effect of the gases flowing into the lining chamber from the melting chamber and to also assist in equalizing the temperatures within the various areas of the fining chamber.

An important characteristic of the smelter above described is the manner in which the work material and the heating gases are carried therethrough. It will be observed that the work material flows in loop fashion through the smelter. This provides a maximum distance of flow for the material in the compact rectangular furnace structure and makes possible the conservation of the heat of the burning gases employed for the purpose of melting and ning the material.

Of greater importance, however, is the manner in which the heating flame or heated gases are projected through the smelter. It will be observed that the heating flame passes in a loop through the melting chamber. This loop of flame in the melting chamber, not only renders more uniform the heating effect lof such flame but also is effective to maintain the various areas of the melting chambers at the desired temperature. The manner in which the flame loops through the melting chamber is particularly effective to, first, immediately reduce the raw materials entering the melting chamber from the dog house to a molten condition, and second, to maintain the temperature of the bath adjacent the melted material passage sui'liciently high so as to prevent freezing or congealing at this point.

The direction of flow of the primary stream of gas in the ning chamber is in accordance with desirable practice counter to the flow of the melted material and the division vof this primary stream of heated gases into two separate streams before passing out of the stack in the manner and for the purposes previously described is likewise highly advantageous.

By employing a smelter of the construction described it is possible to, in a smelter of very compact construction, melt and fine a relatively large amount of material in a short time, this being due to the very efficient manner in which the burning gases are led through the smelter and the relation of such iiow to the direction and manner of flow of the melted material.

Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the means and the steps herein disclosed, provided those stated by any of the following claims or their equivalent be emplfTyed. r

We, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:-

1. A melting furnace comprising laterally contiguous melting and lining chambers respectively provided with a charging opening for the raw material and a. discharge opening for the melted material, a passage for melted material from one end of said melting chamber to the adjacent end of the lining chamber, a passage for gases from said melting chamber to the fining chamber at a point spaced longitudinally of said melting chamber from said melted material passage, a burner in said melting chamber at the end opposite said melted material passage, and a ue opening in said fining chamber.

2. A melting furnace comprising laterally' contiguous melting' and fining chambers respectively provided with a charging opening for the raw 'material and a discharge opening for the melted material, a passage for melted material from on'e end of said melting chamber to the adjacent end of the fining chamber, a passage for gases from said melting chamber to the fining chamber at a point spaced longitudinally of said melting chamber from said melted material passage, a burner in said melting chamber at the end opposite said melted material passage, and a flue opening in said fining chamber in the end adjacent said melted material passage.

3. A melting furnace comprising laterally contiguous melting and fining chambers respectively provided with a charging opening for the raw material and a discharge opening for the melted material, a passage for melted material from one end of said melting chamber to the adjacent end of the fining chamber, a passage for gases from said melting chamber to the fining chamber at a point spaced longitudinally of said melting chamber from said melted material passage, a burner in said melting chamber at the end opposite said melted material passage, and a flue opening in said fining chamber in an area intermediately of said melted material passage and said discharge opening.

4. A melting furnace comprising laterally contiguous melting andfining chambers respectively provided with a charging opening for the raw material and a discharge opening for the melted material, a passage for melted material from one end of said melting chamber to the adjacent end of the fining chamber, a passage for gases from said melting chamber to the fining chamber at a point spaced longitudinally of said melting chamber from said melted material passage, a burner in said melting chamber at the end opposite said melted material passage, and a ilue opening in said fining chamber having branches respectively leading from areas adjacent said melted material passage and said discharge opening.

5. A melting furnace comprising laterally contiguous melting and fining chambers respectively provided with a charging opening for the raw material and a discharge-opening for the melted material, separate passages respectively for burning gases and melted material connecting opposite ends of said chambers, a burner arranged in one wall of said melting chamber adjacent said passage for burning gases for projecting a heating flame in a loop through said melting chamber and through said burning gas passage into said fining chamber and a flue opening in said fining chamber.

,6. A melting furnace comprising laterally contiguous melting and fining chambers respectively provided with a charging opening for the raw material and a. discharge opening for the melted material, separate passages respectively for burning gases and melted material connecting opposite ends of said chambers: a burner arranged in one wall of said melting chamber adjacent said gas passage for projecting a flame in a loop through said melting chamber and into said lining chamber and a flue opening in said ning chamber, said charging and discharge openings and said passage for melted material being so arranged that the work material flows in looped fashion through said furnace.

7. A melting furnace comprising laterally contiguous melting and ning chambers respectively provided with a charging opening for the raw material and a discharge opening for the melted material, separate passages respectively for burning gases and melted material connecting opposite ends of said chambers, a. burner arranged in one wall of said melting chamber adjacent said gas passage for projecting a flame in a loop through said melting chamber and into said tlning chamber and a flue opening in said ining chamber in the same end with said melted material passage, said charging and discharge openings and said passage for melted material being so arranged that the work material ows in looped fashion through said furnace.

8. A melting furnace comprising laterally contiguous melting and ilning chambers separated by a common wall and respectively provided with a charging opening for the raw material and a discharge opening for the melted material, separate passages through said common Wall at cpposite ends thereof for the ow of burning gases and melted material from said melting chamber to said fining chamber, a burner arranged in the wall of said melting chamber adjacent said gas passage for projecting a heating flame in looped fashion through said melting chamber and into said fining chamber and a ue opening in said ning chamber. GLENN H. MCINTYRE. ROBERT W. STUART. 

